Microsoft promises more feature-packed updates for Windows 10, the iPhone 7 rumor mill continues to swirl, BlackBerry releases its Hub+ apps on Android, Spotify targets its Release Radar, and more proof youngsters have it too good.

Two Major Windows 10 Updates In 2017

Now that Windows 10 is no longer available as a free upgrade, and the Anniversary Update has started rolling out to users around the world, Microsoft has focused one eye on the future. Windows 10 is, after all, the company's final operating system, so it needs to evolve gradually as technologies emerge and fashions change.

In a TechNet Blog post aimed at IT professionals, Microsoft detailed what's in the Anniversary Update (Windows 10 version 1607) before stating that it will be the "last feature update for 2016, with two additional feature updates expected in 2017."

Microsoft isn't yet ready to detail any of the features coming down the pike, but we expect the next big update, codenamed Redstone 2, to be released early in 2017. Redstone 3 will then follow in the second half of the year.

Windows users should get used to thinking of Windows 10 as being in beta, forever. It's never going to be "finished", for want of a better word, which will take some getting used to, but it does at least mean it should always be getting better. At least in theory.

The Latest iPhone 7 Rumors

There was once a time when new Apple hardware was kept firmly under wraps until the day it was unveiled on stage by an excited Steve Jobs. But Jobs is no longer with us, and neither is that level of secrecy surrounding Apple products. Now, we know exactly what's coming down the line months before it's officially announced.

Take the iPhone 7, for example, which isn't due to appear until at least September. And yet we already know everything we need to know about it. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, who has an enviable track record of leaking Apple news, has confirmed previous iPhone 7 rumors and added a new one pertaining to the Home button.

Citing people who "didn’t want to be identified discussing unannounced features," Gurman reveals three things about the iPhone 7. 1. The headphone jack is indeed disappearing. 2. The iPhone 7 will feature a dual camera system which allows for brighter, sharper pictures than anything that has come before. 3. The Home button will be pressure-sensitive, and offer haptic feedback to users.

Assuming this information is correct and the sum total of the improvements made to the iPhone 7, it suggests a mixed bag for Apple fans. Removing the headphone jack is a cynical mistake, the pressure-sensitive Home button is a gimmick, and the dual camera system could be a game-changer. So, if you like taking photographs with your smartphone, the iPhone 7 could be perfect for you.

BlackBerry Brings Hub+ Apps to Android

BlackBerry has released its Hub+ suite of applications on Android. Hub+, which brings all your various communications together, was previously only available on BlackBerry 10 and the privacy-focused BlackBerry Priv Android handset. However, it's now available to anyone running Android 6.0 (Marshmallow).

The BlackBerry Hub shows all of your email and social media notifications in one place, while the Calendar and Password Keeper do exactly what you would expect them to do. Hub+ (available on Google Play) is free for 30 days, at which point you can opt in to see ads or upgrade to the entire suite of apps for 99 cents-per-month.

Spotify Launches New Release Radar

Spotify has launched a new feature called Release Radar, which, every Friday, will deliver a playlist of new music as curated by Spotify. Like Discover Weekly, one of Spotify's previous automagic playlists, Release Radar will be geared to each individual user, and no two playlists will be the same.

With Release Radar, Spotify will recommend two hours of new music every week. Your selection of songs, as sourced from music released in the previous six months, will be chosen based on the artists and genres you listen to on Spotify. This means the more you listen, the better Spotify will get to know your likes and dislikes.

Matt Ogle, Senior Product Owner at Spotify, tried to explain the thinking behind Release Radar, saying:

"With the huge amount of new music released every week, it can be difficult to keep up with the latest tracks. With Release Radar, we wanted to create the simplest way for you to find all the newly released music that matters the most to you, in one playlist."

Kids React to Blockbuster Video

And finally, with all of the various ways of watching movies we now have at our disposal, it's easy to forget that until just a few years many of us were renting videos from a retail unit located a few miles away. Blockbuster only went out of business in 2013, but its time on top feels like a lifetime ago.

With that in mind it's no wonder young kids really have no idea what Blockbuster was, or understand why we put up with such a ridiculous system for so long. As this Kids React video from the Fine Bros. shows.

The thing is, kids, Blockbuster was all we had, and it worked perfectly well for us for a long time. Sure, Netflix produces amazing original content, Amazon Prime lets you watch content offline, and Hulu hosts some unmissable TV shows, but we didn't know any better 10 years ago, OK?!

Your Views on Today’s Tech News

Are you looking forward to Windows 10 getting better and better? How do you feel about the planned changes coming to the iPhone 7? Will you be downloading BlackBerry's Hub+ apps? How are you finding Spotify's Release Radar recommendations? Do you miss renting movies from your local Blockbuster?

Let us know your thoughts on the Tech News of the day by posting to the comments section below. Because a healthy discussion is always welcome.

Tech News Digest is a daily column paring the technology news of the day down into bite-sized chunks that are easy to read and perfect for sharing.

Image Credit: DobaKung via Flickr